July 18, 2013

Summer Fun Sensory Activities

Summer is in full swing, and we are soaking up every minute of summer fun that we can! We enjoy sensory activities year round, but there are a few sensory materials we use most during the summer months when the sun is shining and our days are spent outdoors. I love the ability to hose everything off after messy play, including my boys!

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Like water beads, we have a good time with shaving cream any time of year. However, in the summer heat shaving cream sensory play can be experienced from head to toe and then rinsed off with a quick run through the sprinklers.

Outdoor Shaving Cream Pool - The perfect activity for summer fun! Kids can get covered in shaving cream then rinse off with a hose.

I know, it seems so obvious. Of course water is a favorite for summer fun. It is so simple and yet wonderful for sensory play. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy water play beyond swimming and running through the sprinklers.

My kids have never had a single sip of Kool Aid, but they love to play with it! Kool Aid is such an inexpensive ingredient to add to play, and it makes even the most simple activities multisensory, adding an amazing aroma to sensory materials.

Kool Aid Play Date - We invited our play group over for a Kool Aid themed play date with ideas including Kool Aid and shaving cream, Kool Aid watercolors, Kool Aid bubbles, and Kool Aid eruptions without vinegar.

Colored Water Filled Balloons - For even more fun fill the water balloons with colored water before popping them in the play pool. Watch the colors mix and blend in the water, then splash and swim in a colored filled pool.

One word: sandbox. Sand is a wonderful sensory material. Kids can scoop, dump, pour, let it run through their fingers and toes, dig, build castles and so much more! Tip: Use cornstarch to remove sand without scratching skin.

Sand Paint - This recipe for play is simple and perfect for creating sensory art.